With the 89th Map of the Week we move to the borderlands town of East Fortress in the Kingdom of Slovania before starting a two-week Christmas vacation. We'll be back on January 7 with Map of the Week No. 90.

Key to the Map of the East Fortress

1. Outer Gate and Road to the Black Fortress und Grainmill.

2. Crop Fields. To present orc and draug raiders from destroying crops, these are grown between the outer and inner walls of the fortress. Only grains grow outside the walls.

3. Main Gate.

4. Farms. Most are house-and-barn combinations. Animals that graze in pastures outside the walls always are brought in at night.

5. František's Shop. This is something of a modern day version of a catalog store. The farmers in the fortress can handle most food needs, and Ferdinand (Location No. 7) takes good care of the needs for smith's products, but most other wares need to be brought in by the government's supply caravans. František keeps most of the items in stock that people need on a regular and recurring basis, but other wares must be ordered. Basic artisans like tailors, seamstresses and shoemakers are not to be found in the East Fortress. As a result, those who live in the foretress need to watch that their clothing, shoes, etc., are in good condition, and before they become too worn, they must order replacements in advance. František takes those orders.

6. Missing.

7. Fortress Smithy. Ferdinand is a master weaponsmith and armor maker, but he and his crew also will do normal blacksmith work, when necessary. His crew includes the journeyman smiths Jan and Ilja, both human male artisans, and the apprentice Jens, a human male commoner. The 28-year-old Jan will make his master's tests soon. The 22-year-old Ilja still will have to wait at least five years before making his tests. The 16-year-old Jens hopes to become a journeyman in two years. Ferdinand is a widower. His wife died in his old hometown in an orc raid. The other three smiths are unmarried.

8. The Beheaded Draug Inn. The Draug is a six-story building with a 60 x 30 foot/18 x 9 m footprint. The kitchen and the main public room are on the ground floor. A large dining hall is on the second story. Guest accomodations are on the third story. Svatava has her apartment on the top floor. The fourth and fifth stories have the rooms of the inn's employees. Svatava seldom works in the public room. She concentrates upon brewing beer, managing the inn and seeing that things always run smoothly. Because her house also serves as the military mess hall, Svatava employs a rather sizeable crew:

Jóhann, a 48-year-old human male commoner, works at the tap in the public room. He and his wife, Oldřiška, a 44-year-old human female commoner who is a waitress in the public room, live in a room in the inn.

Pavel, a 42-year-old human male, and Regina, a 41-year-old human female, are artisans and master cooks. Pavel's wife, Barbora, a 38 year old human female commoner, works as a waitress, and Regina's husband, Barnabáš, a 43-year-old human male commoner, works as a waiter. Both couples are childless. They live in rooms in the inn.

Several other human commoners also work in the inn: Jolana, a 52-year-old female, and Růžena, a 32-year-old female, both work as waitresses. Oliver, a 46-year-old male, and Nikola, a 47-year.old male, both work as laborers. Kristýna, a 22-year-old female, works as kitchen help and maid for travelers' lodgings. None have mates at present, although most have had one in the past. All of them came to the East Fortress from other parts of the march.

9. Public Well.

10. Garrison. This four-story building provides both a headquarters and housing for all of the soldiers and officers stationed in the East Fortress.